Skip the download step
You don't need the file on your machine first. Paste the link and the video loads straight into the editor - useful when the source is a 2 GB recording you'd rather not keep a copy of.
#1 FREE URL VIDEO CLIPPER
Clip a video straight from its URL
Paste a link - a YouTube video or a direct video URL - and clip it without downloading anything first. Mark your in and out points, then export the clip or copy a share link. Nothing you load is ever uploaded.
Try one:
…or drop a local video file here / click to browse
Works the same way, but reads from disk instead of the network.
MP4 · WEBM · MOV · MKV (whatever your browser can play)
00:00.000/ 00:00.000
clip length 0.000s
Your clip links
Share link
Embed (auto-stops)
Embed code
How a video gets clipped from a URL
Clipping from a URL means the video has to reach your browser without ever passing through our servers - because there aren't any. So when you paste a link, Clippingnet tries three approaches in order, stopping at the first one that works.
First it attempts a full fetch: download the bytes into memory so clipping behaves exactly like a local file. If the file is over 60 MB or the server refuses, it falls back to streaming with CORS approval - playback and export both still work.
If the server refuses cross-origin access entirely, the last resort is plain playback. You can still scrub, mark points, and preview, but the browser blocks pixel recording, so export is unavailable. The tool tells you which tier you landed on.
What you can do with a video URL
Clip YouTube links too
Paste a YouTube watch, Shorts, or live VOD link and you get timestamped share links plus an auto-stopping embed instead of a file - the only clipping YouTube permits from a browser.
Cut with frame accuracy
Whatever the source, the same controls apply: drag the orange handles, tap I and O while playing, or type timecodes to the millisecond.
Export the clip as a file
When the source server allows it, the selected segment downloads as a WebM with full audio - named with its timestamps so repeated clips never collide.
Know exactly what's possible
A status chip above the timeline tells you which load tier the URL landed on, so you find out whether export will work before you spend time marking points.
Share without re-hosting
Copy a link, grab an embed, or post to WhatsApp, X, Telegram, LinkedIn, Reddit and more - pointing at the original source rather than a re-uploaded copy.
How to clip a video from a URL
1
Paste the link
Drop any YouTube link or a direct video URL into the box at the top and press Clip from URL. A direct URL is one that ends in a video file - .mp4, .webm, .mov - not a page that happens to contain a video.
https://youtu.be/… or https://…/video.mp4
Clip from URL
2
Check the status chip
Once the video loads, a chip above the timeline shows how it was loaded and whether export is available. If it says preview only, the source server blocks recording - you can still mark points and get a share link, but not a file.
fetched · export ready
streamed · preview only
3
Mark in and out points
Drag the orange handles to fence off your moment, or play the video and tap I for the in point and O for the out point. Nudge to the exact frame with the arrow keys, then hit Preview clip to check it.
4
Export or share
Export clip downloads your selection as a WebM. For YouTube sources the same button produces share and embed links that start and stop at your points. Either way, the Share row posts it anywhere in one tap.
Export clip
Get clip link
Save full video
→ video_00-31-200_to_01-15-850.webm
Which URLs actually work
Not every link is clippable, and the reason is usually the same one: what the hosting server allows. Here's an honest breakdown.
| URL type | Example | Loads | Export file | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct video file | …/clip.mp4 | ✓ | ✓ | Full editor with WebM export, when the server allows cross-origin reads |
| Direct file, CORS blocked | …/private.mp4 | ✓ | ✗ | Playback, scrubbing, and preview - but the browser blocks recording |
| YouTube watch link | youtube.com/watch?v=… | ✓ | ✗ | Timestamped share link, auto-stopping embed, and iframe code |
| YouTube Shorts / live VOD | youtube.com/shorts/… | ✓ | ✗ | Same as a watch link - the player handles all three formats |
| YouTube /clip/ link | youtube.com/clip/… | ✗ | ✗ | Hides the video ID - open it and copy the normal watch link instead |
| Page containing a video | example.com/article | ✗ | ✗ | Not a video file - right-click the player and copy the video address |
| HLS / DASH stream | …/playlist.m3u8 | ~ | ✗ | Only where the browser supports it natively, mostly Safari |
| Login-protected URL | …/private?token=… | ✗ | ✗ | Your session cookies aren't sent - download the file and load it locally |
✓ works
~ depends on the browser
✗ not possible
The general rule: if you can paste the URL into a fresh browser tab and the video plays on its own, it will load here. If the link opens a webpage instead of a video, you need the underlying file address - right-click the player and choose "Copy video address."
Why some URLs fail
The one thing that blocks URL clipping
It's almost always CORS - Cross-Origin Resource Sharing. A server decides whether other websites may read its files. If a video server doesn't send an Access-Control-Allow-Origin header, your browser will happily play the video but refuses to let this page read its pixels.
That's a browser security rule, not something a tool can work around. It exists so a malicious page can't silently read content you're authorised to see and ship it elsewhere - the same rule that protects you here.
1Download the file first, then drop it on the zone above - local files have no CORS restriction at all.
2Check for a direct link - some hosts serve the same video from a CDN domain that does allow cross-origin reads.
3If it's your own server, add the header below and URL clipping starts working immediately.
# blocked: no CORS header at all GET /video.mp4 content-type: video/mp4 → export unavailable (tainted canvas) # allowed: server permits cross-origin reads GET /video.mp4 content-type: video/mp4 access-control-allow-origin: * accept-ranges: bytes → export ready
Simple pricing
No hidden costs. No trials that expire. No features behind a paywall. URL clipping is totally free - here's the entire pricing table.
The only plan
$0/ forever
- Unlimited URLs - no daily caps or quotas
- YouTube links included - share links and embeds
- No watermarks - your clips are yours
- No account or sign-up - just paste and clip
- No uploads - the video goes to your browser, not our server
Why free? Because there's nothing to charge for: Clippingnet has no servers, no storage, and no processing bills - your own browser does all the work.
The URL goes to your browser, never to us. Most online clippers accept a URL, fetch the video onto their server, cut it there, and hand back a download link - which means a copy of that video now lives on someone else's disk. Clippingnet has no server in the loop: your browser fetches the URL directly, clips locally, and writes the output straight to your downloads folder.
From the blog
Practical guides on working with video URLs, CORS, and streaming formats.
How to find the direct video URL on any page
Right-click, DevTools Network tab, and view-source - three reliable ways to get from a webpage to the actual video file address.
6 min read
CORS, in plain English, for video people
Why a video that plays perfectly can still refuse to be recorded - and what the browser is actually protecting you from.
7 min read
Serving video with the right headers
The exact nginx, Apache, and S3 configuration that makes your videos clippable from other sites - plus range request support.
9 min read
HLS vs DASH vs progressive MP4
What each delivery format means for clipping, which browsers handle them natively, and why an .m3u8 is not a video file.
8 min read
URL clippers that upload vs ones that don't
Speed, privacy, and format limits - an honest look at what each approach gives up to get the other.
5 min read
Sharing a moment without re-hosting it
Timestamped links, fragment URLs, and auto-stopping embeds - when a link beats a file, and how to build one for any platform.
6 min read
Frequently asked questions
Everything people ask about clipping video straight from a link.
What counts as a "direct video URL"?
A URL that points at the video file itself, usually ending in .mp4, .webm, .mov, or similar. Paste it into a fresh browser tab: if the video plays on its own with no page around it, it's direct. If a webpage loads instead, that's a page URL, not a video URL.
How do I find the direct URL for a video on a webpage?
Right-click the video player and look for "Copy video address" or "Copy video URL." If the site blocks right-click, open your browser's developer tools, go to the Network tab, filter by Media, and reload - the video file request will appear there.
Do I need to download the video first?
No - that's the point of URL clipping. The browser fetches the video directly from its source. Downloading first is only necessary when the source server blocks cross-origin access and you need a file export.
Is the video uploaded to your servers?
No. There are no servers. Your browser fetches the URL directly from the source, holds the video in memory, clips it locally, and writes the output to your downloads folder. The link never passes through us.
Why does it say "preview only" for my URL?
The source server didn't grant cross-origin permission (CORS). The video plays fine, but the browser won't let this page record its pixels - a security rule no tool can override. You can still mark points and copy a share link; for a file, download the video and load it locally.
Can I clip a YouTube URL?
Yes. Paste any YouTube watch, Shorts, embed, or live VOD link. Because YouTube doesn't permit browser-side downloads, you get a timestamped share link, an auto-stopping embed URL, and iframe code rather than a downloaded file.
Why doesn't a youtube.com/clip/ link work?
Those URLs don't contain the underlying video ID - YouTube resolves them server-side. Open the clip on YouTube, click the video title to reach the normal watch page, and paste that link here instead.
Can I clip from Vimeo, Twitch, or TikTok URLs?
Only if you have the direct file URL, which those platforms generally don't expose. Their page URLs load a player, not a video file. For platform content, download it through whatever means the platform officially offers and clip the file locally.
Does it work with .m3u8 or HLS streams?
Only where the browser supports HLS natively, which in practice means Safari. Chrome and Firefox need a JavaScript player library to handle .m3u8 playlists. Even where playback works, export usually won't because of how segmented streams are delivered.
What about videos behind a login?
Your session cookies aren't sent with the request, so a login-protected URL will fail to load. Download the file while signed in, then drop it on the zone above - local files work regardless of where they came from.
Is there a file size limit for URLs?
Files under 60 MB are fetched fully into memory for the smoothest experience. Anything larger is streamed instead, which still supports clipping and export as long as the server allows cross-origin access.
Why is loading slow for some URLs?
The video is being downloaded to your browser at whatever speed the source server provides. A slow origin server or a large file means a slower load - there's no caching layer in between, because there's no server in between.
What format is the exported clip?
WebM with full audio, at 8 Mbps. That's the only format browsers can encode natively without a server. Converting to MP4 takes one command: ffmpeg -i clip.webm -c:a aac clip.mp4.
Why does export take as long as the clip?
The browser records your selection in real time while it plays. A 30-second clip takes roughly 30 seconds. Server-based clippers are faster, but only because the video has been uploaded to them first.
Can I clip multiple segments from the same URL?
Yes. After exporting one clip, move the handles to the next moment and export again. The video stays loaded, so you're not re-fetching it each time.
Can I save the whole video from a URL?
Yes - the "Save full video" button downloads the complete original file in its native format. If the fetch is blocked, it opens the URL in a new tab so you can save it manually.
Does a URL with a timestamp work?
For YouTube links, yes - a ?t=90 parameter pre-sets the in point to that timestamp so you start from the right place. Direct video URLs with #t= fragments are handled by the browser's own playback.
Can I clip from a URL on my phone?
Yes. Paste the link, use touch to drag the handles or the Set in/out buttons while playing, then export or copy the link. Long exports are easier on desktop since the screen needs to stay awake.
Is it legal to clip video from someone else's URL?
Loading a publicly accessible URL in your own browser is ordinary web use. What matters is what you do with the clip: publishing someone else's content needs permission, a license, or a legal exception. For personal reference, it's uncontroversial.
Will clipping from a URL reduce quality?
Slightly, since the export re-encodes at 8 Mbps. On typical footage the difference is hard to see. The source is never modified - you're always working from a copy in your browser's memory.
Can I use a URL with query parameters or a signed token?
Yes, if the token is still valid and the server allows cross-origin access. Paste the whole URL including everything after the ?. Expiring links may stop working mid-session, in which case you'll need a fresh one.
What if the URL redirects?
Redirects are followed automatically as long as the final destination also permits cross-origin access. A redirect that lands on a login page or an HTML error page will fail to load as a video.
Can I clip audio-only URLs like podcast MP3s?
If your browser can play the file, you can load it, mark in/out points, and export. The result is a WebM containing your audio segment. For serious audio editing, a dedicated audio tool gives you waveform precision.
My own server hosts the video - how do I make it clippable?
Send an Access-Control-Allow-Origin header on the video response, plus Accept-Ranges: bytes for smooth seeking. One line of nginx or S3 bucket configuration is usually all it takes.
Does the clip link point at the original video?
Yes. Sharing doesn't re-host anything - the link points back at the source URL you loaded, or at YouTube with your timestamps attached. The original stays where it is.